


Let's Go Get Away

by letsjustsee



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Banter, Enemies to Lovers, Flirting, No Smut, Restaurant Owner!Louis, beach au, secret crushes, shopkeeper!Harry, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-03
Updated: 2017-03-03
Packaged: 2018-09-28 01:12:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10061132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/letsjustsee/pseuds/letsjustsee
Summary: When Louis had moved to the island a year ago, he only wanted two things: to serve good food to good people, and to live on the beach.Was that too much to ask for?Apparently the universe thought so, because Louis had only gotten three months of blissful, uninterrupted beach living before Harry Styles moved in to the empty shop next door. Louis was hoping whoever took over the space might be a tour guide, or even another restaurant (with non-competing menu options, of course), but no – he had gotten Harry Styles. The guy who wore Hawaiian dad-shirts unironically. The guy who spent his time making soap by hand out of goat’s milk.Or, a fluffy AU in which Louis owns a restaurant that's next door to Harry's shop, and Louis is completely unaware how smitten he really is.





	

“This smells like soap,” Louis inhaled deeply, making a face at the strong scent.

“It is soap,” Harry said brightly, smiling incredibly wide. “I made it myself.”

“This is soap?” Louis examined it more closely in his hand, squinting his eyes. “Why does it look like a donut?” Louis held the offending product further away from his body, like it was going to attack.

Harry chuckled. 

“Soap shaped like food is very popular these days, Louis,” Harry said, walking around from behind the counter and standing near him, close enough that he could smell Harry’s cologne. “I also have some cookies, and even a couple cinnamon rolls around here somewhere.”

Harry put his hands on his hips and looked up and down the shelves in front of them inquisitively, looking for the appropriate ones.

“Well, you should put out a sign or something. Almost stuck this right in my mouth.”

Harry guffawed at that, bringing his right hand up to cover his mouth in embarrassment. Louis rolled his eyes.

“Why don’t you sell normal soap?”

“Oh I do,” Harry said, lighting up and rushing over to the other side of the small shop. He returned with his arm extended, lumps of a colorless, waxy material wrapped in delicate ribbons displayed in his outstretched hand. “They’re made with goat’s milk.” Harry looked like a proud papa, holding them out for Louis to inspect.

Louis leaned over, eyeing Harry’s hand suspiciously. He tilted his head up and met Harry’s eyes, ignoring the eager puppy dog look on his face.

“I said normal soap.”

Harry laughed at that one appreciatively.

“You’re an odd one, Styles. Have I ever told you that?”

Harry didn’t look deterred. In fact he looked downright delighted.

“Only every morning since I’ve met you, Lou.”

Harry had turned away to replace the soap on the shelf, and Louis paused. _Lou_? That was a new one. Harry Styles was getting much too chummy.

“Well, clearly it’s not sinking in,” Louis said, walking over to lean on the counter as Harry took a seat on the stool behind it. He watched Louis intently, like he was fascinated by what he was saying, and not at all like Louis was insulting his entire being. “Who wants to buy all this handmade shit anyway? People come to the beach to be tourists and buy commercialized junk.”

Harry smirked.

“I dunno, I’ve been doing alright since I moved in. I think Maddie would be proud.”

Louis threw his hands up in indignation.

“You don’t even know who Maddie is. You literally found that sign on the beach the first day you got here and decided to hang it up outside. It makes no sense!”

Harry actually giggled at that, like a goddamn schoolboy. Louis was appalled.

“You’re driving business away from me, too,” Louis barreled on, ignoring Harry’s lack of reaction to his digs. “People want to come here and eat seafood at my place, not pick out the ‘ _finest artisanal handcrafts available’_ ,” Louis punctuated his sentence with a hand in the air, reading off the sign that was prominently displayed behind the checkout counter.

Louis was getting worked up. This always happened, every morning, and it was all Harry’s fault.

And Harry _never_ fought back, which made it one thousand times worse.

Groaning and rubbing his face in frustration Louis said, “Alright, that’s it. You’ve driven me to my breaking point, Styles. I’m out of here. Gotta go open up the restaurant. Feed the masses, you know.”

He turned to leave abruptly, swiftly walking towards the front door of the shop when he heard Harry get up from his stool.

“Hey wait, Louis.”

Harry rummaged around underneath the counter for a second, and Louis paused by the open door to peer at him. Harry crossed the room in a short jog, which Louis scoffed at (the room was like twenty feet long, was a jog strictly necessary?).

“This reminded me of you.”

Harry held his hand out once again, except this time instead of lumpy soap it held a small figurine of a lighthouse, striped black and white - identical to the one near the coast of their small island.

Louis looked at it curiously as the familiar churnings of guilt began to creep into his gut. How was Harry Styles so _nice_?

“Oh, uh,” Louis reached out to take it, and his fingers just barely grazed Harry’s palm. “You don’t have to, Harry, really.”

“No, I insist,” Harry stuck his hands in his pockets and swayed back and forth on the balls of his feet. He smiled brightly at Louis, looking him right in the eye as he said, “Hope you have a good day, Lou.”

“Yeah, uh,” Louis began to back out of the shop. “You too, Harry.”

He didn’t look back as he exited and walked the few paces to his own storefront. Unlocking the restaurant quickly, he made his way through the darkened dining room, through the small kitchen, and back to his closet of an office.

Before he sank into his chair to look over the menu changes for the day, he delicately placed the lighthouse on the mounted shelf just above his workspace. It was flanked by a painted seashell and a vintage teacup that had a small crack running down the side. At least six or seven other trinkets crowded the small space, and Louis took a moment to look at them as a small smile found its way onto his face.

He shook his head to gather his thoughts back to the present moment.

There were menus to be written.

\--

When Louis had moved to the island a year ago, he only wanted two things: to serve good food to good people, and to live on the beach.

Was that too much to ask for?

Apparently the universe thought so, because Louis had only gotten three months of blissful, uninterrupted beach living before Harry Styles moved in to the empty shop next door. Louis was hoping whoever took over the space might be a tour guide, or even another restaurant (with non-competing menu options, of course), but no – he had gotten Harry Styles. The guy who wore Hawaiian dad-shirts unironically. The guy who spent his time making soap by hand out of goat’s milk.

Louis had tried his best to ignore him, he really had. But Harry was having none of it. Day two of them being neighbors, Harry had ambled his way into the restaurant during the lunch rush, wanting to have a fucking chat with Louis about the shared front porch space.

“Not a great time right now,” Louis had said as he ran food back and forth to tables. What did this guy expect? It was just Louis, the cook, and one extra server who was currently on a smoke break.

It was like nothing could deter Harry, though.

He just waited patiently through the rush, chatting with tourists (who usually consisted of elderly couples or parents with small children). Three separate times that day, customers had approached Louis to compliment his new next-door-neighbor, telling Louis _how sweet and charming that Harry_ was, or how much they couldn’t wait for his new shop to open.

Louis had smiled dutifully through tight lips each time this happened, and he had only just caught his breath from the mad house that lunch had been.

And Harry was still there, waiting on him, like he had nothing better to do in the whole world.

“Alright, what’s up?” Louis finally said, after the last customer was handed their change and waved through the door.

“Can we do something about the paint out front?”

Louis couldn’t believe he had waited a whole hour just to ask Louis one lousy question about paint. It’s not like Louis cared one way or the other.

“Uh, sure man. Go nuts.”

Harry’s face lit up with an overwhelming smile, his cheek dimpling deeply.

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Louis said, starting to wipe down tables to prepare for the dinner crowd. “I couldn’t care less.”

Famous last words.

Because apparently Harry was so thoroughly displeased with the beige color of the old building that he took it upon himself to repaint the entire thing. Louis showed up to work a few days after their cursory conversation to find his beloved restaurant painted the color of an Easter egg.

Sputtering in disbelief, he tried to find his footing.

“Wha- what the fuck?”

He said this to no one in particular, as it seemed he was by himself outside the shops this morning. Not even thirty seconds later, however, Harry Styles came strolling up beside him, whistling a jaunty tune.

“Good morning Louis,” he said, sounding so much more chipper than anyone had the right to.

“What the fuck did you do to my building?”

Louis turned his head slightly to look at Harry, not able to completely avert his eyes from the train wreck in front of him.

“Isn’t it amazing? I got a great deal on the paint from Hank down at the hardware store.”

“You- you got,” Louis was apoplectic. The sickening blue from his shop wound itself around the pepto-pink of Harry’s across their small divider. The brightness of it hurt Louis’ eyes. “It looks like fucking cotton candy!”

“I know, isn’t it amazing?”

Could Harry seriously, genuinely think this monstrosity was amazing?

Louis was going to punch a grown man. He absolutely was.

 Taking two deep, deep breaths, Louis moved towards the building and away from Harry. He had to put some space between them for Harry’s safety.

“I- I can’t even believe you did this Harry. You’re painting it back. _Tonight_.”

Louis didn’t turn to look at Harry as he stormed over to his door, wrenching his keys out of his pocket and marching his way inside. The loud thud of the door behind him left him in a deafening, dark quiet.

\--

Louis was ready to murder Harry if he didn’t paint it back that very evening, but the lunch rush that day was the biggest he’d seen in the three months since he moved in. And the dinner crowd was even larger – at least double what he was used to. Seeking out some unfamiliar faces in the crowd, he jovially welcomed them to his restaurant and casually asked what had brought them in that night.

“Well we were walking back from the beach, and we just couldn’t resist. This place looks so bright and fun from the road,” the older couple smiled at Louis kindly, and he tried hard to retain his poker face.

“Oh, uh,” Louis chuckled lowly and cleared his throat. “Yeah, my new business neighbor painted it last night actually.”

“Well it’s just darling and perfect,” the woman said, patting Louis softly on the hand. “We’ve heard rumblings all day at the beach about it, people talking about how pretty it looks. And how good the food is too, of course.”

Louis blushed, but thanked her for the compliment, excusing himself to go clear a few tables.

That night, once everything was closed up and cleaned off, he stormed over to Harry’s shop. He wasn’t really expecting him to still be there, since it was late into the evening, but Harry sat at his checkout desk, quietly reading a book as he hunched over on his stool.

When he heard Louis enter the shop in a huff, he smiled instantly. He quickly schooled his expression into something more remorseful, however, once he saw the state Louis was in.

Louis took a few deep breaths through his nose, pursing his lips in frustration. He couldn’t believe he was being bested by Harry Styles.

“The paint can stay.”

Not wanting to witness Harry’s exclamations of joy, he turned immediately to leave, stopping only once he got almost through the door.

“And go home,” he yelled back dramatically at Harry’s hunched figure. “It’s too late to still be here.”

Louis thought he might have heard a small chuckle from Harry’s direction, but he didn’t spare a second thought for it as he angrily stomped home.

\--

That had been nine months ago, and the building remained – steadfastly – pink and blue.

Louis’ business had increased, and no matter how many times he lied to Harry and prodded him with lines about how he was driving business away, they both knew that Louis’ profits had gone up in the past nine months. Louis guessed Harry was just too nice to rub it in.

And that was the worst part of all of this, wasn’t it? Harry Styles was a _nice guy_.

He annoyed Louis to no end, but no matter how often Louis stopped by to make fun of his trinkets or tease him about his dad-shirts, Harry just laughed. He laughed at Louis’ stupid jokes and he always wished him well before he left.

It was all extremely off-putting to Louis.

If it wasn’t for Harry Styles, Louis could have a lie-in every day. But instead, he had to be here in this hipster hell, doling out one liners to rile up Harry Styles. Because when your victim is unable to be riled up, what can you do? Louis had no choice but to stop by every morning, obviously.

It had been a few months into his morning ritual that Harry had presented him with his first small gift – a glass figurine of a bird, painted a multitude of colors. Harry casually mentioned he found it in a second hand shop and had been reminded of Louis right away.

Louis hadn’t known how to react, so he just thanked Harry for the gift and left. Placing it gently in his office at the restaurant, he wondered when Harry had gotten the idea that they were friends, or people who exchanged gifts at the very least.

In the end, Louis chalked it up to Harry’s utter weirdness, and Harry had been sharing small items that reminded him of Louis ever since (at the rate of about once a month).

The day after he gifted the lighthouse, Harry stopped in during the lunch rush for a bite to eat. This was also something that had become routine, and Louis never failed to get annoyed with him in the restaurant too. Harry was always chatting up tourists, especially old women, and they just couldn’t have been more delighted. Louis used to be the one they loved, whose eyes were complimented and cheeks were pinched, but not anymore. Now it was Harry, with his long hair and long legs and bright green eyes.

It made Louis sick.

On this particular day, he caught a glimpse of Harry whispering and giggling with one of the regulars, an older woman named Jane who had retired to the island a few years before. They seemed to be shooting glances in Louis’ direction, and it was quickly irritating him.

Walking over to break up whatever was happening, he clapped his hands together loudly and smiled at Jane.

“Anything else I can get for you darling?”

“Oh no, Louis,” Jane said, smiling at him but patting Harry’s hand lovingly. “Just having a chat with my boy here.”

“Well,” Louis said, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice, “I’m sure _your boy_ needs to get back to his shop. Lots of customers wanting little figurines whittled out of wood, or whatever it is he sells.”

Harry and Jane both laughed loudly at that, and shared a look like Louis had just confirmed something important. He couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

Harry stood slowly and reached for his pocket, his tight pants showing the outline of his wallet easily.

“Just go,” Louis said, waving him off.

Harry smiled deeply, his dimple appearing.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Louis breathed out a huff in exasperation. Was there nothing in this world that didn’t endlessly delight Harry Styles? What a weirdo. “Just get going, I can’t stand here chatting with you all day.”

“Thanks Lou,” he said, leaning down to kiss Jane on the cheek with a loud _smack_. Anger bubbled up quickly in Louis’ gut, although he tried to suppress it. What was there to be angry about? Harry was allowed to be in here, chatting up however many old ladies he wanted. It annoyed Louis that he had to witness it though. “Bye Jane. Bye Louis.”

He walked backwards with his hands in his pockets, and caught Louis’ eye as he said his name. Louis couldn’t help but smile a little when Harry almost knocked over a couple on their way to their table, profusely spouting apologies as Louis once again rolled his eyes and got back to work.

\--

“Still can’t believe you’re here, Li,” Louis said, patting his best friend on the back as they walked down the street together. “It’s sick.”

“Well I’ve been telling you for the past year that I’m going to come visit, couldn’t keep putting it off could I?”

Liam had traveled to see Louis for the first time since he moved to the island, and Louis was excited to show him all parts of his new life living at the beach. Louis had taken the day before off of work so that he could hang out with Liam and relax on the beach, but he had to get back to the restaurant today. Liam insisted, though, that he wanted to see all parts of Louis’ day, so he was tagging along as Louis made his way to the shops.

“So you know that Harry guy I mentioned?”

They were getting closer now, the bright blue and pink of the building within eyesight.

“Yes, Louis,” Liam said patiently. “You’ve only talked about him around ten times so far.”

Louis ignored that statement and rolled on, “Well wait until you see his shop. It’s ridiculous. I give him such shit for all the hipster crap he sells. Can’t believe people actually want to buy it.”

As they approached Harry’s shop, Louis furrowed his brow in confusion. Normally the front door was left open for customers to pop right in, but this morning it remained shut with a heavy lock on it.

“That’s weird,” Louis mumbled, as he approached the door and tried to open it despite visibly being unable to. “Usually he’s here by now.”

Louis tried knocking on the door, quietly at first, and then louder after a moment.

“Louis, obviously nobody’s here,” Liam said, always the logical one.

“He’s always here, though.”

Louis’ frustration level was rising quickly, his hands on his hips as he stared at the offending lock.

“Well, maybe he’s busy this morning. Let’s just go. I’m sure you’ll see him later.”

“I don’t care about seeing him, Li, I just want to show you his shop.”

Liam nodded his head in understanding as he gently guided Louis away from the door with a hand on his back.

“Sure, Louis,” Liam said, and reached for Louis’ keys to unlock the restaurant.

Once inside, Louis snapped out of his annoyed funk so that he could walk Liam around the restaurant. He showed him the dining room, explaining where the regulars usually sat, and the kitchen (talking about what pieces would need to be replaced soon), and finally his little closet of an office.

“So it’s not much,” he said, plopping down in his desk chair, “but I love it.”

Liam smiled brightly.

“I love it too, Louis,” he said, clapping a hand on Louis’ shoulder. “This is incredible. Just amazing. Can’t believe you pulled all this off.”

“Thanks Li,” Louis said, patting Liam’s hand with his own.

He looked up, and Liam had a confused look on his face. Following his line of sight, he saw the shelf full of trinkets above the desk.

“Oh,” Louis said, jumping up from his chair in excitement. “So get this. Harry has been giving me these little trinkets every month, saying they remind him of me. He’s so fucking weird.”

Louis picked up the lighthouse as he said this, rubbing it with his thumb before he passed it over for Liam to hold.

Liam took it carefully and examined it with scrutiny. There was a moment before he looked back up at Louis.

“These are all from Harry?”

Louis bristled at the tone in Liam’s voice, and he snatched the lighthouse back from Liam.

“Yeah, I just throw them in here every time he gives them to me.” He gently placed the lighthouse back on the shelf, adjusting it to the right just a bit. “He’s so weird.”

“You said that already,” Liam said, moving to lean against the wall, crossing his arms in front of him and staring at Louis suspiciously. Louis suddenly felt uncomfortable, and moved towards the door.

“Well, I’d better get to work. You gonna help me out?”

\--

Liam was beyond impressed with the seamless way that Louis handled the restaurant, from dealing with customers and managing his few employees – Louis was proud of what he had built, and he was proud to show it off to his best friend.

The lunch rush hit at the usual time, and Liam even offered to run food to tables with Louis darting back and forth between the dining room and the kitchen.

It was nearing the end of lunchtime when Harry sauntered through the door, swiveling his head left and right before landing on Louis with a smile.

Louis couldn’t resist opening his mouth, “Well if it isn’t the truant himself.”

He smirked as Harry looked befuddled.

Liam had joined Louis when he heard him call to someone, and Liam took in the tall man in front of him as Louis continued his speech.

“Stopped by this morning with my best friend in the whole world, because he couldn’t stop asking to see the weird trinkets shop, and what did I find but a giant lock on the door.”

Harry looked sheepish, toeing the ground with his hands in his pockets.

“Sorry Lou,” he said quietly, looking up finally into Louis’ eyes. “I had a dentist’s appointment.”

“Oh a dentist’s appointment? Well it’s not me you should apologize to, it’s obviously your customers.”

Harry was trying to hide a smile, but not doing a very good job. He stepped forward and reached out his hand towards Liam.

“I’m Harry Styles,” he said. Liam took his hand and they firmly shook.

“I figured,” Liam said, friendly. “Louis can’t shut up about you.”

Harry snorted, and Louis was incredulous.

“Excuse you Liam, that’s quite rude,” he turned to look at Harry as he made his next point. “What he means is that I couldn’t shut up about how odd your little shop is, and how entertaining it is to go in there and see things like handmade doilies, or whatever you sell there.”

Harry was openly smiling now, not even bothering to look at Liam anymore.

“And my point is that it’s not very professional to have a lock on the door when you’re supposed to be open.”

Harry shrugged, “I mean, I was back in time to open by nine.”

Confusion coursed through Louis, and he was sure his face showed it.

“But you open at eight?”

Harry bit his bottom lip and averted his eyes.

“Well, I mean I’m usually there by eight, but I don’t officially open until nine.”

“But…” Louis was at a loss for words. If Harry didn’t open until nine, why had Louis been stopping in at eight for so long?

Liam interrupted his thoughts before he could articulate them, though.

“Well either way, it’s nice to meet you Harry. I’m sure your shop is lovely.”

Harry thanked him profusely, and they began chatting about what Liam did for a living, and what it was like to live on an island. Louis’ head swam with unanswered questions, and annoyance flared up as it usually did when Harry was around.

Walking swiftly behind the counter, he reemerged with a large piece of pie on a plate covered in plastic wrap.

“Here,” he said, shoving it in front of Harry. “Take this and go. Your hipsters have waited long enough for you today.”

Harry eyed the pie questioningly.

“It’s lemon meringue. Thinking about adding it to the menu, so don’t tell me if it’s terrible. Now go.”

He shooed Harry away, with Liam and Harry shouting brief goodbyes and nice-to-meet-you’s at each other.

Louis looked at Liam and was expecting a reprimand for being rude to someone as _nice_ as Harry Styles – it was usually what people implied to him daily.

“You gave him pie?” was the question that Liam put forth instead.

“Just to get him to leave. He was a baker before he moved here, so I know he’ll give me honest opinions on desserts.”

Liam just nodded his head slowly and looked like he was ruminating heavily on something.

“Anyway, help me wipe down tables. No rest for the weary,” Louis said, snapping Liam with a towel he had picked up off the counter.

\--

A few days later, Liam was packed up and ready to leave early in the morning. He had insisted Louis didn’t need to accompany him to the airport, and instead chose to say goodbye to him at Louis’ house.

They stood on the front porch in the early morning light and hugged each other.

“I’m so glad you came Liam, this was the best.”

“Me too, Louis,” Liam said, patting him on the back as they pulled away from each other. “I’m so proud of you for everything.”

Louis’ cheeks heated up. He hated taking compliments. “Oh stop.”

“No, I’m serious, this was incredible. I’ll have to come back soon.”

“Absolutely,” Louis said, as a yellow taxi pulled into the driveway. “Looks like this is you.”

Liam turned to pick up his duffel bag, but turned back to Louis quickly with a nervous look.

“Louis, I- uh,” he stammered.

“Spit it out Li,” Louis said, patting him on the shoulder with a smile.

“I didn’t want to say anything, because I didn’t want you to be mad at me during my trip,” Louis felt butterflies arise in his stomach at what Liam might say next.

“But I just thought you should know,” Liam paused dramatically, lowering his voice to almost a whisper. “You’re definitely in love with Harry Styles.”

They looked at each other for a beat before Louis burst out laughing.

“What? What are you talking about,” Louis doubled over, leaning on his knees to catch his breath.

“I’m serious,” Liam said, leveling Louis with a discerning look. Louis stopped laughing as the weight of what Liam said caught up to him. He looked back at Liam in confusion.

“I’m- I’m definitely not, uh,” Louis wasn’t sure what to say. “I’m not, Liam.”

Liam shrugged and bent down once more to grab his duffel.

“You go to his shop every morning.”

“Not every morning, Liam. I do have a-“

Liam cut him off quickly.

“You keep the trinkets he gives you like they’re your most prized possessions.”

“Those stupid things? I don’t-“

“And you light up like a Christmas tree when he walks into the room.”

“Now _that_ is just categorically untrue, Liam.”

Louis couldn’t believe what he was hearing, and from his best friend no less. 

“Whatever you say Louis. I just didn’t want to leave without mentioning it. I think you should go for it.”

With that, he jogged down the porch stairs and towards the awaiting taxi.

“Love you Louis, I’ll call you when I get home,” and without waiting for a reply, he hopped into the car and was speeding away before Louis could gather his thoughts.

“I’m, I’m not-,“ Louis continued to mutter to himself now that Liam was gone, shaking his head. “So stupid. What’s he talking about?” Louis was left standing alone on his porch as the sun began to peak its way over the horizon.

\--

Louis had worked himself into a right state.

In the hour or so since Liam had left, and dropped a bombshell like “you’re in love with Harry Styles” on him, Louis hadn’t been able to sit down. He paced his tiny living room, going over and over everything he could remember about his interactions with Harry.

Liam had said he visited his shop every morning, which Louis tried to deny.

But thinking back on it, he guessed that for the past couple months or so, it had been every morning. But that was just because it was habit now, it wasn’t like he would be disappointed if he couldn’t.

A small voice at the back of his head chimed out _you were disappointed when he wasn’t there the other morning_.

Louis huffed audibly and kept pacing; that meant nothing.

What else had Liam said? That he keeps those stupid trinkets Harry gives him.

Well what was he supposed to do? Throw them in the trash? What if Harry asked about them – he would be devastated if he knew Louis binned them.

_Why do you care if he’s devastated?_

“I don’t care!” Louis shouted to the empty room, now breathing heavily.

He paused in the middle of the rug, staring off at nothing in particular.

“Oh shit,” he whispered, and grabbed his keys in a rush to get out the door.

The streets of the beach town were still quiet in the post-dawn light, and Louis heard his feet slapping heavy on the pavement as he made his way towards Harry’s shop. The door was open this time, as it was fast approaching eight o’clock, and that made Louis remember another thing that had been bothering him the past couple days.

Bursting through the doorway, he saw Harry behind the counter perched on his stool as usual. He smiled at Louis immediately, but it turned to a look of concern when he took in Louis’ obvious frustration.

“Lou?” He asked quietly, possibly afraid to speak any louder.

“Why are you here at eight if you don’t open until nine?” The question rang out loudly in the silence of the shop, the only other noises coming from gulls off in the distance on the beach.

“What?” Harry said, confusion evident on his face.

Louis felt out of control, like he couldn’t shut his mouth even if he tried. The words poured out him quickly.

“Why are you here early every morning when I stop in? Why do you give me things that remind you of me?” Louis was marking points on his fingers, gesticulating wildly in front of a very taken aback Harry. “Did Liam say something to you, are you just trying to make fun of me? HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN IN LOVE WITH YOU?”

He shouted that last part. He hadn’t meant to, hadn’t even really meant to say it, but there it was. Now the silence around them was deafening.

Harry’s eyes went wide, and Louis went into panic mode.

“Shitfuckgoddamnit,” he muttered, backing away hurriedly. “Forget it.”

He turned to leave, to run away from how embarrassed he was, but Harry called after him.

“Louis, wait,” he heard Harry get up from his stool and jog across the room, reaching Louis quickly and grabbing his forearm with his large hand.

Louis’ arm burned where Harry touched him.

As Louis reluctantly turned around to face him, he saw Harry searching his face intensely.

Harry sighed and let his arm that was holding Louis drop.

He looked away as he mumbled, “I’m here at eight every morning because I like when you come in before work.”

Louis held his breath, waiting for Harry to continue.

“I’m not trying to make fun of you, Lou,” Harry began to smile, just a tiny bit, like he couldn’t hold it in. “But as far as knowing how long you’ve been in love with me-“

Louis closed his eyes in humiliation. He still couldn’t believe he had said that out loud. His eyes snapped back open when he felt a large hand on his shoulder. Harry was incredibly close to him now.

“I didn’t know you were. I could tell you how long _I’ve_ been in love with _you_ , though,” he said this quietly, shyly. “I mean, if you want.”

Louis couldn’t speak, but nodded his head.

“I’m pretty sure since the day I met you, when I moved here.”

Louis let out the breath he had been holding, a million thoughts flying through his head at once. He was acutely aware of Harry’s warm hand still touching him, sending shockwaves through his body.

“But I’m a wanker,” was what ended up coming out, sounding like a desperate plea. “Why would you even like me?”

Harry chuckled lowly and started rubbing Louis’ shoulder reassuringly.

“But you’re not, Lou.”

“I am,” Louis cut him off. “I’m always so mean to you.”

Harry smiled like Louis had just told a wonderful joke. “Louis, you really think your terrible flirting techniques are mean? You’re the nicest person on this island, to literally everyone. And then you come and try to insult me every morning.” Louis winced at that, realizing how terrible he’d been to Harry in the past. “I used to think _maybe_ you didn’t like me, but Jane told me one day at the restaurant that it was like watching a little kid be mean to their crush on the playground. I just get a kick out of it now.”

Louis pouted a bit at that.

“I didn’t know I was flirting.”

Harry rolled his eyes fondly, “You threatened to beat up that teenager that insulted my handmade jewelry last month.”

“Well that was just rude of him. Teenage punk.”

Harry continued as if Louis hadn’t spoken, “And you give me free lunch literally every day.”

“Well nobody has time to wait around for you to peel that wallet out of your jeans Styles, they’re practically painted on you.”

“And you brought me driftwood off the beach because you thought I could use it for something.”

“Well, it was horribly ugly and insulting my view. I just wanted to get rid of it.”

“And you get jealous when I kiss old ladies on the cheek. I honestly wouldn’t do it anymore, but Jane gets a thrill out of it. She says she can see the steam coming out of your ears.”

“I, wh- what,” Louis didn’t know how to react to that one. He was going to deny it, but his memories of every time he saw Harry flirt with old ladies seemed to be tinged with an angry filter. He had thought it was just incredulity at the situation.

“Are you jealous, Louis? Of little old ladies?” Harry was teasing him now, finally in a position of power over Louis, who stood there speechless.

Louis tried desperately to put some bite into his reply. “Well Jane is quite fit for her age, and I don’t know what you’re into Styles.”

“She’s seventy, Louis.”

“Oh whatever,” Louis said, crossing his arms. He was feeling defensive and laid incredibly bare in front of Harry.

Harry brought his other hand up to Louis’ shoulder, effectively boxing him in. Louis was suddenly extremely aware of how close they were, how they hadn’t ever been in such a charged position before this.

“Did it really take you this long to figure it out?” Harry asked, his tone gentle as always.

“Liam told me this morning,” Louis said it with a hint of a whine, angry that he was a grown man who had been so dense about his own feelings.

“Well thank goodness for Liam,” Harry said, and without preamble he leaned down and brushed his lips against Louis. Louis’ brain lit up with _soft_ and _good_ and _yes_ , uncrossing his arms to tentatively place them on Harry’s hips.

A whine of protest left his mouth involuntarily as Harry pulled back, and he opened his eyes to see him smiling wider than he’d ever seen.

“Been wanting to do that for about nine months.”

Louis couldn’t help but smile back at him.

“You’re such a sap, Styles,” he said, yanking Harry by the front of shirt into a long, deep kiss. 

 

**One Year Later**

“Is this soap or food?” Louis asked, as he held something that looked suspiciously like soap in his palm.

Harry laughed, “It’s food, Lou. It’s homemade fudge, just eat it.”

Louis looked at Harry with narrowed eyes, but popped the square into his mouth. An amazing, chocolate and peanut butter flavor flooded his senses.

He closed his eyes and moaned. “Oh my God Haz, it’s so good.”

Harry giggled and came up to Louis, wrapping his arms around his shoulders.

“I know, I did make it.”

Louis instinctively reached for Harry’s waist, and they swayed in the middle of the shop together as Louis chewed the fudge slowly.

“Hey, you know what I saw online that I want to try?”

Harry let go of Louis and walked around to the checkout counter, settling on his stool and pulling up a page on his laptop.

“There’s this new trend of like, string art that I want to try out. You just make shapes on scrap wood, but it turns out really cool. What do you think?”

Louis furrowed his brows as he looked at the page Harry was scrolling through.

“People pay for this? I could do this myself, Harry.”

“Well that’s the point, Lou. You don’t, so people like me make them and then sell them to you.”

Louis scoffed, “As if I’d ever buy something like that.”

“Well I like them,” Harry said, angling his laptop away from Louis’ prying eyes. To his credit, Harry never pouted when Louis gave him a hard time – he knew what he liked, and he pretty much did it despite Louis’ quips.

This was just one of the many things that Louis loved about Harry. When they started dating, Louis was nervous that things would change between them. He wasn’t sure how to be Harry’s boyfriend if it meant they couldn’t banter anymore, but it only took a week of Louis trying extra hard to be sugary sweet for Harry to complain.

“You’re like a pod person, Louis. Just act normal.” Louis had breathed a sigh of relief and admitted to Harry that the newest trend he had been trying out – giant, paper flowers in brightly multicolored shades – made him think of a child’s art class. Harry had laughed and continued to make them anyway, selling out in a week.

“I guess I’d better go open up the restaurant. When are you stopping by?”

“Probably twelve or twelve thirty, I want to try and make a couple of these string things before that, so it depends when I finish.”

“Alright, well I suggest making one in the shape of a dick.”

“Louis,” Harry said, monotone.

“I’d definitely buy that one, Haz,” Louis winked at him as he went to back out of the store, laughing at Harry’s face. He saw the change in expression before he turned to leave, and Harry piped up quickly.

“Oh hey, wait a second Lou,” he hopped off the stool and rummaged around underneath the counter.

Louis smiled.

Harry hadn’t stopped gifting him little trinkets that made him think of Louis, even once they were officially boyfriends. He had continued to place them reverently in his office, although now they had started to spill over into his own house – he was running out of room for them, but refused to get rid of any.

“Got something for you here,” Harry straightened back up and walked over to Louis slowly, a serious expression on his face. Once he got in front of him, he held out a plain box with a lid. “Made me think of you right away.”

Louis smiled and reached out for it, prying the top lid off of the bottom.

He froze when he saw what was inside; sitting delicately on a piece of gauzy cotton, a lone silver ring.

His eyes snapped up to meet Harry who was looking at him hopefully.

“I thought about making a big deal over this, planning a moonlit dinner on the beach or something. But I figured you’d hate that.”

“I would have,” Louis said under his breath, not thinking about what he was saying.

“So where better than the place we started dating?”

Harry dropped to one knee and Louis’ jaw dropped.

“Will you marry me, Lou?”

“Holy shit,” Louis said, and dropped the box, ring inside, onto the ground. Harry laughed at him loudly. “Harry, I, uh,”

“Never thought I’d be the one making you speechless, Lou,” Harry said, gently picking up the box and offering the ring to Louis. Louis held his left hand out and watched, mouth agape, as Harry slid the ring onto his finger. “I hope this is a yes?” Harry asked, a tone of doubt tinging the edges.

“Fuck yes, of course,” Louis said, leaning down to kiss Harry deeply. 

Harry laughed through the kiss, and stood up to make the angle less awkward.

“Good, because I love you very much.”

“I love you too, Haz,” Louis responded, diving back in to kiss him again.

“Hey Lou,” Harry said, pulling back only slightly. “When we’re married, will you stop making fun of my shop?”

“Absolutely fucking not,” Louis responded, pinching Harry’s side.

“Oh thank goodness,” Harry said, and then they were kissing once more.

**Author's Note:**

> This was a very self-indulgent, fluffy fic based on the prompt I wrote for my [Door Mood Board as H+L fics](https://letsjustsee.tumblr.com/post/157871973277/door-mood-board-as-h-l-fics).
> 
> Thank you so much to my wonderful friend [Molly](http://becomeawendybird.tumblr.com) ([QuickedWeen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuickedWeen)) for beta'ing this for me! You're the best. 
> 
> Come say hi on [tumblr](https://letsjustsee.tumblr.com/).
> 
> And if you enjoyed this, please [reblog](https://letsjustsee.tumblr.com/post/157932190827/lets-go-get-away-author-letsjustsee-word-count) it!


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